KUALA LUMPUR: VAR! Var! Var! The crowd shouted, and the not-so-resolute referee responded.
Play came to a stop as he anxiously checked with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) on the sideline.
This has become a familiar sight in Super League matches after VAR was introduced for the 2024-2025 M-League.
However, former FAM referees committee chairman, Subkhiddin Salleh, said that shouldn't be the case.
He feels that local referees shouldn't refer to VAR just because the fans shouted for it. Does this mean that they often doubt themselves in their own decision-making?
Subkhiddin stressed that referees, before anythng else, need to have confidence and conviction in their own ability.
And to have these qualities, Subkhiddin said match officials need to be well versed with Fifa's laws of the game.
The former Fifa referee said they should only use VAR when it's really necessary like when the situation is unclear.
"Referees must be able to make decisions confidently, without allowing VAR to affect their judgment. Decisions should flow naturally," said Subkhiddin.
"Referees need to master the laws like the back of their hand. The pressure from fans urging referees to consult VAR is ever present, but armed with the considerations from VAR, referees should be equipped to make informed decisions.
"However, they must possess the knowledge to discern what constitutes fouls such as handball and penalty to ensure accuracy."